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The House of Babenberg and the House of Habsburg were families of Austrian dukes. The Babenbergs ruled the Margraviate of Austria and its successor, the Duchy of Austria, from 976 until 1246. The family's influence peaked under the reign of Leopold V the Virtuous (1177–1194) and Leopold VI the Glorious (1194–1230). The House of Habsburg ruled the Duchy of Austria and its successor, the Archduchy of Austria, from 1246 until 1918. The family's influence extended beyond Austria, with Emperor Franz Joseph (1830-1916) holding titles such as King of Hungary and Bohemia, King of Lombardy and Venetia, and Grand Duke of Tuscany.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Family name | Habsburg |
| Family members | Emperor Franz Joseph, Maria Theresa, Marie Antoinette, Duke Rudolf IV, Emperor Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor Franz II, Austrian Emperor Franz I |
| Years of rule | 1246–1918 |
| Territories | Austria, Hungary, Bohemia, Lombardy, Venetia, Dalmatia, Croatia, Slavonia, Galicia, Lodomeria, Illyria, Tuscany, Styria, Carinthia, Carniola, Transylvania |
| Related families | Babenberg, Hohenzollern |
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What You'll Learn
The House of Babenberg
The Babenberg family can be broken down into two distinct groups: the Franconian Babenbergs (also known as the Elder House of Babenberg) and the Austrian Babenbergs (also known as the Younger House of Babenberg or simply the House of Babenberg). The Franconian Babenbergs, or Popponids, descended from Count Poppo of Grapfeld (d. 839-41) and were related to the Frankish Robertian dynasty. The earliest known Babenberg, Poppo I of Grapfeld, was first mentioned in 819 as a ruler in the gau of Grabfeld, a historic region in northeastern Franconia bordering Thuringia. The Austrian Babenbergs, on the other hand, claimed to have originated from the Franconian Babenbergs, but this claim has not been verified by scholars. This group was descended from Margrave Leopold I, who ruled Austria from 976 onwards.
The leaders of the Babenbergs were the sons of Duke Henry, who called themselves after their castle of Babenburg on the upper Main river, around which their possessions centered. The city of Bamberg was built around their ancestral castle. The Babenbergs were involved in a rivalry with the Conradine family, which came to a head in 892 during the reign of King Louis the Child and resulted in a decisive victory for the Conradines in the battle of Fritzlar in 906.
The Babenbergs' power increased significantly under Leopold V, who became Duke of Austria in 1177 and participated in the Third Crusade, even capturing King Richard I of England and holding him for ransom. Leopold VI of Austria, who became duke in 1198, fought in Spain, Egypt, and Palestine, and under his rule, Vienna became the center of German culture. However, his son Frederick II of Austria's pride in his father's marriage to a Byzantine princess led him to fight several wars against Bavaria, Bohemia, and Hungary, and the Babenberg line ended with his death in the Battle of the Leitha River in 1246. The succession crisis that followed led to the House of Habsburg taking over Austria.
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The House of Habsburg
In the 12th century, the Habsburgs became closely associated with the Staufer emperors, participating in their courts and military expeditions. This association helped the Habsburgs inherit many domains as the Staufers caused the extinction of other dynasties, some of which the Habsburgs were heirs to. The family's power base was moved to Vienna in 1278, and in 1282, Rudolf I of Germany assigned the Duchy of Austria to his sons, thus establishing the "Austrian hereditary lands". From that moment, the Habsburg dynasty was also known as the House of Austria, and the agelong identification of the Habsburgs with Austria began.
The family split several times into parallel branches, most notably in the 16th century between its Spanish and German-Austrian branches. Despite ruling distinct territories, the different branches maintained close relations and frequently intermarried. The Spanish branch became extinct in 1700, while the Austrian branch continued until it became extinct in the male line in 1740, continuing through the female line as the House of Habsburg-Lorraine.
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The Georgenberg Pact
The treaty consisted of two parts. Firstly, the childless and deathly ill Ottokar IV, who had contracted leprosy while on the Third Crusade, agreed to pass his duchy to the Austrian duke Leopold V and to his son Frederick from the Franconian Babenberg dynasty. This was under the stipulation that Austria and Styria would remain united forever. Secondly, the treaty consisted of a delineation of the rights of the Styrian estates and citizens, which has led to it being incorrectly called a "Styrian Magna Carta" by English-speaking historians.
The case of succession came to pass upon Ottokar's death in 1192, and Styria has been connected to Austria since then, except for a brief period between 1194 and 1196. The treaty was acknowledged by Emperor Frederick II in 1237 and continued under the rule of the Habsburg dynasty after the line of Babenberg dukes became extinct in 1246. The Georgenberg Pact was the first step towards the creation of a complex of "hereditary lands" of the Habsburg monarchy. The pact formed an integral part of the Austrian constitution until the Revolutions of 1848.
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The Privilegium Minus
The document also allowed for female heirs to succeed in Austria and gave the Duke the right to name a successor in the absence of heirs. This privilege was bound to Henry Jasomirgott and his wife Theodora Komnene for life, as the couple had no children. In the event that there were no heirs, the duke was allowed to designate a successor (libertas affectandi).
The issue of the Privilegium Minus document is set within the context of the conflict between the Imperial House of Hohenstaufen and the ducal House of Welf in the Holy Roman Empire. In 1138, Emperor Frederick's uncle and predecessor, King Conrad III of Germany, had deposed the Bavarian duke Henry the Proud and had given his duchy to the Austrian margrave Henry Jasomirgott. King Conrad died in February 1152, and Frederick was elected King of the Romans a few weeks later, likely with the support of Henry the Proud's son, Henry the Lion. In order to gain military support for his campaign to Rome to be crowned Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick wished to end the conflict he had inherited from his uncle.
The Privilegium maius, or 'greater privilege', was a set of medieval documents forged in 1358 or 1359 at the behest of Duke Rudolf IV of Austria. It was a modified version of the Privilegium minus, elevating the duchy into an Archduchy of Austria.
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The Habsburg Law
Provisions of the Law
Amendments and Repealments
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Frequently asked questions
Leopold V, Leopold VI, and Leopold VI's son, were all Babenberg dukes.
The House of Babenberg ruled the Margraviate of Austria and its successor, the Duchy of Austria, from 976 until 1246.
The House of Habsburg ruled the Duchy of Austria and its successor, the Archduchy of Austria, during this period.
Yes, the family produced many monarchs, including Emperor Franz II (Holy Roman Emperor) and Emperor Franz I (Austrian Emperor).
